The development of subsidised housing in Egypt has long been considered a legacy of Nasserism. By the same token, Hassan Fathy’s New Gurna (Upper Egypt) was commonly dated after 1952. Both conceptions are misleading. The provision of affordable housing to low-income urban dwellers is a concern that can be traced back to at least the interwar period. New Gurna model village started in 1947, and is rooted in the programmes of rural reform that were launched in Egypt in the 1930s. The idea of subsidised housing emerged in the late 1940s; architect Mahmoud Riad (1905–1979) was a key player in its dynamics and provided a significant contribution, although implementation took place after 1952